Should a church be allowed to refuse to provide their Pastor's/leaders educational & ministerial backgrounds?

I think the earlier answer about being a non-profit organization has merit. If you hired a lawyer, you could probably force them to provide the information. But you would never be welcome in that church if you did that. So I would pay attention to the red flag and go somewhere else.

I'm agnostic/atheist, but my "family" (having no living relatives in the area) is a Presbyterian church community that I've been part of for at least 6 years now. When they were searching for a new co-pastor (a process that takes literally years, Presbyterians wheels grind slowly, but they get results worth the wait, in this case), the whole community got copies of her resume before she even showed up for her "audition" as leading the dialogue service (a new experience for her) and preaching the sermon in the traditional service. I saw the newsletter they put out quite a few years ago when the present male co-pastor and the former female co-pastor came on board together. The resumes, again, were quite thorough. And I found out the female co-pastor had a doctorate, which she never mentioned, it wasn't relevant to her pastoral mission.

I would not go near a church that did not have the minister's resume available on request. This is standard practice in all of the mainline protestant churches I've attended, that you can check the ministers credentials if you really want to.

Again, stay away from that place. They are hiding something.

Blessings on your Journey!

Our society is so messed up that no one would qualify to be a pastor. Well almost no one. The religions know that. Now some churches are dirty from the top down and want sinners in control. Other true churches figure "where are we going to get enough preacher to fill the pullpits. Let's give them a chance."

I say show the backgrounds

ken

Your focus is in the wrong place. Being a pastor is a calling from God, so their education shouldn't matter. You attend church to hear the word of God, and worship God, not to be concerned about whether or not the pastor went to college. It seems to me that the arrogance is coming from you thinking you have the right to question a pastor's education. Before you attend any church you need to get your focus on God and the bible. It seems like "new age" Christians are more worried about whether or not a pastor goes to bible college, opposed to whether or not the pastor is called from God. Having a degree isn't a qualification to teach the word of God.

I'd find another place to worship. They're "allowed" to do what they wish in that regard (insofar as there is no law that they must release information), but if they take that attitude, they shouldn't be surprised at repercussions like losing potential members. Most deception has its price. There are better places that are open and honest; this church just isn't one of them.

Looky right here, not everyones have been given the expertise for the Wheel, you wanta attempt the Dodgems or maybe the Ghost prepare in the previous you pass getting your self in contact in any extreme faluting accountancy/womanagement or psychology careers exterior the remit of the circus. Ah'm in basic terms whittling what ah sees.

That's a red flag. They obviously got something to hide.

Edit: Maybe they get their credentials from one of those online ministries? You know the one's, pay ten bucks and you're a minister. What's the name of that church?

Wrong focus for a Pastor.

I think as a non-profit organization that holds tax exempt status, they are required to provide this type of information regarding their services. I am not completely sure, but I am pretty sure I have come into contact with other non-profit organizations that were required to do so.

If you truly undersand faith in Christ, you know it is NOT of this world and does and should not conform to the standards of the world. Especially when it comes to education etc. What really matters is does that pastor preach and teach Scripture and is that church body of believers stagnant and stationary or are they really on the move and growing spiritually.

All a pastor needs is a Bible and charisma. At least that seems to be what he thinks.